1/5

posted Nov-11-2010

I purchased an Ashdown ABM EVO III amp from a seller on ebay by the name of p-hill. His store is Butler Music located in Butler MO. He also has a website address of www.Sefton.com His personal phone number is: (816) 456-4039. Jeff Sefton is selling Ashdown EVO III's for as much as 40% below MAP pricing. But Now I ask... is a deal really a deal if you don't get what you expected?? In my initial contact, I asked him if he were an Authorized dealer and he had told me he is. Searching the Ashdown website, I found that he is an authorized dealer. But he didn't even list it in his auction. I asked him to list this (so I had proof for warranty purposes) and I would buy one.

The amp arrived in a clean box, but when I opened it the bag was torn, the amp had numerous fingerprints on it and the screws looked like they were tampered with. So I go and plug it in and it did not sound good. I called the stored by phone and the owner Jeff, the owner says to me, no one else has complained. He said I could send it back but I would have to pay the shipping. OH GREAT! So I said I will try it out some more and hung up. I then played it for a while not liking what I was hearing and then went to bed. I got up the next morning and turned on the amp and it sounded the same for about a minute and then it started humming and I checked all the cords and everything was fine and all of a sudden, it made a loud ping noise and POP POP FLASH and OUT it went!!

I called Jeff and he asks me what did I do to the amp. I said nothing other than turn it on and play it. He says I must have done something. Well long story short, he argued until I said I will file a Paypal claim and I hung up. He had told me that he would NOT take it back for return or exchange now that it was broken and that he doesn't RENT equipment, especially for free! I asked, RENT EQUIPMENT??? After he said this... I was dumb-founded! Lost in the midst of scam-land!! I just paid hard earned cash for this head and he was leaving me to rot in the pits of h**l!! This seller is one nasty excuse for a human being!!

A WORD OF WARNING! Do NOT buy from him, you WILL end up regretting it!!

Now, I believe he is selling refurbished goods and there really is NO WARRANTY on this product!! I did contact the company and they want me to send the amp back to them for possible repair. But I said I am NOT wanting a product that I bought "AS-NEW" to immediately have to go into repair! I told them I want a brand NEW amp and they said they would have to repair it and if it couldn't be repaired, they would send me a new one. But most likely, the amp would be repaired. NO WAY!!! I want a BRAND NEW AMP or my money RETURNED!!!

EDIT: UPDATE - Filed a claim on Paypal and they awarded me the refund. Yeah!! Also, I bought an SWR SM900 instead. (Love it!!)

This review was modified by PinStripe on November 11 2010 10:30:51 AM

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1/5

posted Nov-09-2010

First, let me say that this site requires an order number to give a review. The order number I submitted is only ONE of many that I have a complaint about!

But I will also say that AMS was good when I first started doing business with them. But if you need to return things, make note that after three returns, they will put you on their NO RETURNS list! Is that ridiculous or what??

I had ordered several items from them including a bass amp and effects pedals and various other things. I have NEVER had such an issue with any other store as I did with AMS. Half of what I received did NOT work or was defective in some way! It's like they are shipping B-Stock items and pawing them off as new!

AMS's customer service has got to be one of the WORST!! They put you in a loop and when you do finally get someone on the phone, they will then transfer you to someone else and MAYBE they will finally take care of the problem. But then again, maybe not. It really depends on who you get on the phone to help you.

I am now banned from ever purchasing there again and believe me when I say this... I have nothing to hide and am NOT making anything up when I say that AMS will rip you off one way or another if you don't keep perfect records. They will deny most anything unless you can prove it.

They pretend to not even acknowledge certain orders and especially RETURNS, like they don't keep records. But you know they have pristine records. they know what's going on.

I would never buy from them again no matter what!

They have tried numerous times to rip me off and right now I have filed two disputes with my bank visa because they refuse to refund for returning defective gear!

If you decide to purchase from this low-life company, then you've got it coming! STAY AWAY!!!

PS: for all the good reviews on here... I wouldn't put it past AMS to have their reps create positive reviews for this site and others.
Remember one thing... most people will not take the time to post positive reviews. Would YOU go out of your way to do so, unless it was an out of the ordinary super experience? Maybe most wouldn't even then. So who's REALLY posting all of these positive reviews?? I have talked with several that will never buy from AMS again!

This review was modified by PinStripe on November 09 2010 10:11:37 AM

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